Портрет художника в юності

           Heclaspedhishandsonthedeskandsaid:

           —TheretreatwillbeginonWednesdayafternooninhonourofsaintFrancisXavierwhosefeastdayisSaturday.TheretreatwillgoonfromWednesdaytoFriday.OnFridayconfessionwillbeheardalltheafternoonafterbeads.Ifanyboyshavespecialconfessorsperhapsitwillbebetterforthemnottochange.MasswillbeonSaturdaymorningatnineo’clockandgeneralcommunionforthewholecollege.Saturdaywillbeafreeday.ButSaturdayandSundaybeingfreedayssomeboysmightbeinclinedtothinkthatMondayisafreedayalso.Bewareofmakingthatmistake.Ithinkyou,Lawless,arelikelytomakethatmistake.

           —Isir?Why,sir?

           Alittlewaveofquietmirthbrokeforthovertheclassofboysfromtherector’sgrimsmile.Stephen’sheartbeganslowlytofoldandfadewithfearlikeawitheringflower.

           Therectorwentongravely:

           —YouareallfamiliarwiththestoryofthelifeofsaintFrancisXavier,Isuppose,thepatronofyourcollege.HecameofanoldandillustriousSpanishfamilyandyourememberthathewasoneofthefirstfollowersofsaintIgnatius.TheymetinPariswhereFrancisXavierwasprofessorofphilosophyattheuniversity.Thisyoungandbrilliantnoblemanandmanoflettersenteredheartandsoulintotheideasofourgloriousfounderandyouknowthathe,athisowndesire,wassentbysaintIgnatiustopreachtotheIndians.Heiscalled,asyouknow,theapostleoftheIndies.